Device for electrical connections.



No. 646,009. Patented Mar. 27, I900. M. PFATISCHER.

DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS.

(Application filed Nov. 24, 1899.] (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet FIG. 1

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No. 646,009. Patented Mar. 27, I900. M. PFATISCHER.

DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS.

(Application filed Nov. 24, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Q k was INVENTOR:

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFrcE.

MATHIAS PFATISCHER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 646,009, dated March27, 1900.

Application filed November 24 1899. v Serial No. 738,138. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, M THrAs PFATISOHER, of Philadelphia, in the State ofPennsylva-s nia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDevices forElectrical Oonnections, whereof the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to that class of de-. vices which includesceiling-rosettes, branchblocks, cut-outs, lamp-receptacles, switches,and the like, which consist of a suitable base upon which terminals arefixed and provided with means to secure the ends of flexible con-'ductors to said terminals.

My improvements are especially adapted for use on shipboard or underother conditions where there is liability to leakage or condensation ofwater,which, accumulating upon the conductors, would follow them to theregion of the terminals and occasion short-circuiting. Hitherto it hasbeen usual to locate the terminals within a water-tight casing havingconductor-inlets provided with stuffingboxes or similar means to securea more or less water-tight relation of the conductors to the casing.Such sealing means are not only expensive in construction, but aredifficult to maintain and frequently fail of their purpose by reason ofslight structural defects.

The object of my present invention is to provide simpler, lessexpensive, and'more efficient means for obviating the dangers abovereferred to; and to this. end my invention, generally stated, consistsin so arranging. the conductor-inlets and terminals of such anelectrical connecting device as to insure that the conductors inextension between said inlets and said terminals shall be flexed inbights below said terminals, with the result that the water accumulatedupon the conductors gravitates to said bights and drips therefromwithout reaching the terminals. Such a construction of course renders awater-tight casing for the terminals unnecessary.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a convenient embodiment of myinvention in the preferred form for a lamp-receptacle comprising asocket adapted to receive the plug of an incandescent lamp or similardevice. It is to be understood, however, that du'ctors.

my invention is not limited to the particular embodiment shown, which ismerely a type of the general class of devices to which my improvementsare applicable, as aforesaid.

In said drawings, Figure 1 represents an exterior side View of thereceptacle, showing thev adjacent portions of the electrical con- Fig. 2is a vertical central section through the same on a plane which isindicated ,by the lines 2 2, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the underside of the main portion of the receptacle, which, although actually up-.permost, .base. side of the cap or coverwhich' fits upon the is forconvenience termed the Fig. 4 is a plan view of the upper under side ofthe base and inclos'es the parts carried thereby. Fig. 5 is a view inperspecner to the socket in the receptacle. j The base or supportingportion of the receptacle is indicated at A and, together with the otherparts, is preferably constructed of porcelain or glazed earthenware. Thebase A is approximately disk-shaped and may be provided with a shortdownwardly-depending Adja-v flange ajaround its outer periphery. cent toits central portion it is preferably provided with adownwardly-depending flange a of considerably greater depth than theflange 0t and having the outlines of an oblong hexagon whose center offigure coincides with the center of the base itself, as seen clearly inFig. '3. Within said flange a is a boss 0?, which forms the immediatesupport of the terminals and which may conveniently be provided with ashallow U-shaped flange a upon its lower extremity: Lateral blocks A Aextend outward from the hexagonal flange a in the direction of itsshortest diameter, said blocks being somewhat less in depth than theflange itself, and a short rib a. projects radially from the outsideedge of the block A to the inner face of the flange a.

All the above-described portions of the base are preferably madeintegral, and the base is provided with various vertical holes to effectits attachment to its own support and to permit the entrances for andmeans of connecting the conductors, dsc. Thus the countersunk holes Bare adapted to receive the supporting screwslor bolts whereby the baseis secured in position. The holes b and b in the blocks A A are theinlets for the insulated conductors E, E, E and E The three verticalholes I), D, and D which terminate upwardly within the sunk recess 1),receive the screws 01, d, and d which engage with the inner ends of theterminals F andf, respectively. Suitable holes are also provided for theother accessory screws, such as f and f. The terminal f serves to securein position the threaded cylindrical shell 0 of the lamp-socket,whichdepends downwardly from the boss a and the terminal F lies within therecess formed by the U -shaped flange a so as to be effectuallyseparated from the other by means of said flange.

The conductors E, E, E and E entering at the inlets b and W, are flexedin bights e, e, 2 and e", depending below the terminals.

,The details of the terminals themselves and the means whereby they areconnected with the lamp proper are not described, as they are wellunderstood.

The cap or cover G of the receptacle is cupshaped, having a deepcylindrical outer wall g, which fits against the under side of the baseA, said wall g being notched at g to receive the rib a, which latterprevents the horizontal turning of the cap when suspended in position.The cap has a central opening G of larger diameter than the lower end ofthe boss, and said opening is surrounded by an upwardly projectingflange g fitting around the boss a Vertical drip-holes g are formedthrough the bottom of the cap G, preferably at quadrant-points,as seenmore clearly in Fig. 4. A porcelain ring I, screw-threaded on its innerface to engage with the external thread upon the shell 0 of thelamp-socket, is provided with a peripheral shoulder i of greaterdiameter than the opening G of the cap G, and when secured in positionupon said shell 0 serves to support the outer wall g of the cap G inclose contact with the base.

By the arrangement above described the bights of the conductors providesuitable points for the discharge of water which has leaked in orcondensed thereon, and it is of course impossible for the water to risefrom said bights to the terminals. The several interior flanges alsotend to discharge water or condensed moisture into the cap G, whence itreadily escapes through the drip-holes 9 Furthermore, the device thusembodied is readily and cheaply constructed and has no weak pointsliable to be disarranged.

Having thus described my invention, I of course do not limit myself tothe particular embodiment above described; but

I claim 1. In a device for electrical connections, the combination, witha base; of a terminal, fixed with respect to said base; a conductor; anda conductor-inlet in said base, arranged to direct an inserted conductorin a bight depending below said terminal, in extension between saidinlet and said terminal, substantially as set forth.

2. In a device for electrical connections, the combination, with a base;of a terminal fixed with respect to said base; a conductor-inlet in saidbase; and a flexible electrical conductor extending through said inlet,flexed in a bight below said terminal and secured, beyond said bight, tosaid terminal, substantially as set forth.

3. In a device for electrical connections, the combination with acasing, comprising a base and a removable cover for thesame; of aplurality of terminals fixed in said casing; means to secure the ends offlexible conductors to said terminals; conductor-inlets in said casingrespectively adjacent to said terminals; flexible conductors enteredthrough said inlets, depending in drip discharging bights within saidcasing and below the respective terminals to which they are connected;and a drip-outlet in said casing, substantially as set forth.

4. In a receptacle for electric lamps, the combination of a base havinga downwardlydepending boss and provided with suitable inlets for theadmission of conductors, &c.; of a cap fitting upon said base andhavingan upwardly-projecting flange which surrounds the boss, said capbeing provided with a driphole; and means for holding said cap inposition against said base, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the base, A, having a downwardly-dependin gflange, a, forming an elongated inclosure therein; of the boss arrangedwithin said inclosure; the cap, G, fitting upon the base and having aninner flange, g surrounding the boss, said cap being provided with adrip-hole; and means, substantially as set forth, whereby said cap maybe secured in position.

MATHIAS PFATISCHER.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. BELL, E. REESE.

